of course there was a party, too, for the birthday... and what a load of presents! one prettier than the next! just one was missing: health. at least not for everyone. the dragon has pretty much seen the end of it all: no more hospital, no more coughing, no more sneezing, no more headache... no wonder, all of those have gathered at mommy's and daddy's...
thanks to gramma & grampa, the party did not have to be canceled, but it darn near turned into a pyjama party... we conclude: the idea of celebrating the dragon's birthday in june (the projected delivery date) appeals more and more before this sort of background! february is simply not the right weather for this kind of stuff, here in central europe!
in this spirit: see you all next year. hopefully with a stronger defence and higher temperatures! :)

fever cramp, shmever cramp. he's made it. yet again! and even just in time for his and his siblings' birthday! so it is double celebration time!
well, that makes one almost completely healthy dragon: they all dropped the fever now, just have to get back to their old enthusiastic self, which should not take more than a few days.
mama and daddy need to heal now, and - as important! - gramma needs to be shielded from getting it.

and then we can finally focus on nicer stuff again and just forget this stupid flu season and all its effects and the things we were forced to learn in the process... :(

one day she's gonna hate me for this pic, i have no illusions about this... but a chronist does have an obligation to inform truthfully! :)) now we cleared this stage, too. let's see how long it will take her to turn it upside down for the first time... :))

wow, what a crash! it all started with daddy plowing the garden. well, not something one should do in this cold, right? anyways, it was enough to make me hit the ground with the flu. so far, so good, not the end of the world, right? but then, of course, it was a small step for the dragon to be caught in it. and that was everything but funny, then! in fact, it still isn't: collin is still at the hospital after his fever seizure. even was one night in intensive care.
the other two are home, but not yet out of trouble, either. coughing, sneezing, fever, yucky medicine, restless nights... and mama is pretty much on her own in this, working long days... oh, that flu season! if this will be like this every year now, it would be time to migrate. to some place warm. :)

speaking of migration: our health care system has completely deteriorated by now, embarassingly: in 5(!) emergency pharmacies there was one thing that was not available during flu season, and that is flu medication, of all things! who in the world declared this pathetic thing here an "industrial nation"?? sounds more like antarctica to me! well, but our beloved ICU in the hospital saved the day in the end: they got a hold of nutella and bread because that's what "their" collin loves to eat. voilá, some people still know how to do it! :) thanx, you gems!

me, i like the good news best - especially if i get around to post them here. this here most recent one, for instance: though still far from 100%, our oldest son has advanced to a new link in the proverbial food chain: at least a part of his daily fluid nutricion will be swapped for something a little closer to solid food. we recall: mush is how it started a few months ago with his two siblings, as well!

and benny is not only vehemently demanding it, no, he smiles over his entire face with happy joy once mama has surrendered to him... well, then... here we go, son! just keep making like a hippo: one spoon for mommy, one for daddy...

in the meantime i will raid the fridge for meat; who knows how long i will still have a chance to find enough of that, if any... *shiver* :)

the good old times seem to be on the return. the times when there was still real seasons, with distinct differences...
these days we keep hearing the word "snow chaos" on the radio, if there are more than 20 flurries per square meter on two consecutive days and the mercury drops near the dreaded ZERO. in ancient times thirty years ago these conditions stuck around for months at a time, but were simply called "winter", and no-one with only the most elementary spelling skills and a pocket calendar could possibly be surprised by them... but something must have happened between "then" and "now"... probably strawberries and tomatoes in january put us out of sync, somehow... ;)

be that as it may - since last night there is a visitor behind the house with the dragon cave: a loveably smirking pale-face who wanted to cast a closer look at our constantly growing dragon:
daddy has built a snowman. geniune, with all the bells and wistles: coal eyes and buttons, carrot nose, pot hat and - of course - vast amounts of sticky white snow. which - of course - had to be thoroughly tested prior to the delicate conjuring - by the one and only reliable testing method: a snowball fight. needless to say who won that. all i will say is: experience & big huge hands beat cunning & mobility... :) anyways, the dragon found that cool dude interesting enough to get a little closer. and next year, with a little luck, the three will join into the building... maybe we will even make a hole snow family! :)

until then, dear readers, dress in layers: onions against frostbite! :)

yesterday was a nice day, and here is how that came: vicky can count! all the way to five! ok, the pronounciation is not perfect, but she makes very similar sounds and the count is spot on! all the main vowels, in proper sequence... and she repeats it over and over, too! all the way to the 5, which is actually more of a cheering shout, with her arms up! i think, she absorbed the concept, the order...

woah, my pride swollen chest: the whole house full of geniuses. but yesterday it was the girls, especially.

and mommy is smiling... :)

well, it really has been quite some time since mama did anything but take care of the kids. but a little something different is necessary once in a while, right? so, the neighbors' announcement to go shopping was a welcome opportunity there. and also a very welcome opportunity for *me* to prove my relevant qualities with the kids. again, that is... ...well, and also to remind myself of this actually being quite a full time job... so, i quickly put up my volunteer's index finger, dropped mama off at the neighbors' place and got into my dragon hero day's pleasure.

item 1: changing... well, true... not really everyone's favourite activity. nor mine. but after is always better thn before... :) over the whole day (yes, the shoppers really DID use the entire day, entitling me to riding clishé now :) ) that amounts to like 12 diapers, a number that takes other dads almost a week! :) and the bucket is half full each night.

item 2: feeding... wow, being the experimental hobby chef, i tried something new for dinner: spredable sausage on bread. and what would you think, i was a hero. again, of course! :)

item 3: playing... it hurts only very briefly while watching the building blocks box being emptied, when everything inside screams "noooooooooooooooo!", because you already know the dragon is who empties while you're the one who has to tidy up again in the end. but, whatever, you can't build towers while the blocks remain in the box. and daddy still builds the tallest! taller than vicky in fact, and she is - after all - the tallest of the dragon heads!

item 4: midday nap... as expected, no biggie here: undress, change, horizontal, quiet. as always. only, my hard earned lunch break does not really seem like two hours: prepare food, tidy up, research the internet a bit and a few other really little things... then, bam! over. the dragon is awake. already three o'clock. what had i all planned!

repeat items 1 through 4, then off to bed for the night. while i am not entirely exhausted, but also not exactly fresh like this morning - or like 20 years ago - anymore... :) but at the end of the day i was treated to the fashion show of the shopppers... wow, what a load they bought...

nice day, this one. but still: next turn is mine! a motorcycle trip to the alpes! :)